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Fa-La La-La Land
She’s got a list to finish. He’s got a song to escape. Neither planned on falling in love this Christmas.
Stella Sparks has no time for love—not when her 30 Before 30 list is calling and her new job depends on reviving rockstar Rhys James’s image before he headlines Winter Lights Live.
The trouble? Rhys isn’t interested in playing America’s perfect popstar anymore, especially when his label insists he sing the cheesy Christmas hit he’s grown to hate. And Stella, who once had his poster taped to her teenage bedroom wall, is no longer swooning—she’s determined to keep things professional.
But when a snowstorm strands them in Stella’s hometown, Rhys discovers small-town magic, a chance to write his own story, and the one woman who sees him for who he really is. Too bad falling for him could cost Stella the career she’s fought for.
A witty, cozy holiday romcom with banter, small-town charm, and swoony slow-burn romance—Fa-La La-La Land is perfect for fans of Jenny Proctor, Melissa Ferguson, and Katherine Center’s sweet romances.
Stella Sparks has no time for love—not when her 30 Before 30 list is calling and her new job depends on reviving rockstar Rhys James’s image before he headlines Winter Lights Live.
The trouble? Rhys isn’t interested in playing America’s perfect popstar anymore, especially when his label insists he sing the cheesy Christmas hit he’s grown to hate. And Stella, who once had his poster taped to her teenage bedroom wall, is no longer swooning—she’s determined to keep things professional.
But when a snowstorm strands them in Stella’s hometown, Rhys discovers small-town magic, a chance to write his own story, and the one woman who sees him for who he really is. Too bad falling for him could cost Stella the career she’s fought for.
A witty, cozy holiday romcom with banter, small-town charm, and swoony slow-burn romance—Fa-La La-La Land is perfect for fans of Jenny Proctor, Melissa Ferguson, and Katherine Center’s sweet romances.
276 pages, Kindle Edition
First published November 11, 2025
53 people are currently reading
208 people want to read
About the author
Brittany Larsen
31 books254 followersBrittany Larsen is the author of fourteen full-length and three novella-length sweet romantic comedies, plus a couple more historical romance novellas set in the Old West. Brittany’s stories range across time and place, but they’re always about one thing: connection. They’re guaranteed to make you laugh and maybe even tear up a little.
Born and raised in Idaho, Brittany has spent the past twenty years (maybe more) living the California dream… If that dream includes wearing sweatpants all day and gorging herself on red Australian licorice–Australia’s second-best export (Chris Hemsworth being the obvious first). When not writing, she teaches hot yoga, walks her dog, and takes naps. Her sweater-sporting, mini Aussi-doodle, Bo, is her favorite writing companion. But her favorite people are her husband and three daughters.
Born and raised in Idaho, Brittany has spent the past twenty years (maybe more) living the California dream… If that dream includes wearing sweatpants all day and gorging herself on red Australian licorice–Australia’s second-best export (Chris Hemsworth being the obvious first). When not writing, she teaches hot yoga, walks her dog, and takes naps. Her sweater-sporting, mini Aussi-doodle, Bo, is her favorite writing companion. But her favorite people are her husband and three daughters.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 243 reviews
December 22, 2025
Audiobook update:
There's nothing like listening to an audiobook when the characters have accents, and I loved Rhys's Australian accent. Corinne Davies and Antony Davis both did a fantastic job with the characters and made listening to this one so much fun!
Original review:
This book was pure Christmas-romcom serotonin and I loved every minute of it. Stella Sparks is exactly the kind of heroine we love to adore—goal-oriented, a little chaotic but in a funny way, determined to prove herself, and absolutely not looking for a detour (Rhys James). Her “30 Before 30” list had me cheering for her from the start.
For those who love the reluctant celebrity trope, Rhys nails it! He's tired of the image his manager and label have pushed on him for years, and he's desperate to reclaim his music, but still charming enough that we understand why teenage Stella had his poster on her wall. The pull between redefining his image and keeping his label happy tugged at my heart!
The real magic happens when these two get snowed in together. Small-town Christmas? Forced proximity? The cozy feels were off the charts. Their chemistry is slow-burn but with enough spark to keep me flipping pages way past my bedtime. I also loved how the author balanced festive fun with real emotional stakes—Stella fighting for her career, Rhys fighting for his voice, and both of them trying very hard not to fall for the one person who sees straight through them.
If you love celebrity romances and Christmas stories that leave you grinning like a fool, add this to your December TBR immediately. I received a complimentary copy. All opinions in this review are my own.
There's nothing like listening to an audiobook when the characters have accents, and I loved Rhys's Australian accent. Corinne Davies and Antony Davis both did a fantastic job with the characters and made listening to this one so much fun!
Original review:
This book was pure Christmas-romcom serotonin and I loved every minute of it. Stella Sparks is exactly the kind of heroine we love to adore—goal-oriented, a little chaotic but in a funny way, determined to prove herself, and absolutely not looking for a detour (Rhys James). Her “30 Before 30” list had me cheering for her from the start.
For those who love the reluctant celebrity trope, Rhys nails it! He's tired of the image his manager and label have pushed on him for years, and he's desperate to reclaim his music, but still charming enough that we understand why teenage Stella had his poster on her wall. The pull between redefining his image and keeping his label happy tugged at my heart!
The real magic happens when these two get snowed in together. Small-town Christmas? Forced proximity? The cozy feels were off the charts. Their chemistry is slow-burn but with enough spark to keep me flipping pages way past my bedtime. I also loved how the author balanced festive fun with real emotional stakes—Stella fighting for her career, Rhys fighting for his voice, and both of them trying very hard not to fall for the one person who sees straight through them.
If you love celebrity romances and Christmas stories that leave you grinning like a fool, add this to your December TBR immediately. I received a complimentary copy. All opinions in this review are my own.
November 4, 2025
Oh my gosh, this was a total 5-star read!All the feels with this one , seriously, I couldn’t get enough!
What's inside:
Rockstar romance
Christmas
Grumpy/sunshine
He falls first
Small town
She believes in Santa
Secret tattoos
Snowed in
Forced proximity
Workplace romance
Stella has crushed on Rhys for YEARS, but when she finally meets him, the dream totally crashes and burns. He’s moody, rude, and nothing like the guy she imagined. Fast forward to when her career starts taking off, and suddenly Rhys needs help fixing his image… and who better than Stella? He’s not exactly the guy whose poster she used to kiss, but helping him could give her career a huge boost. She just has to figure out who the REAL Rhys is underneath the fame.
As they spend more time together, Stella starts to fall for the real him, the one he hides from the world. But Rhys is stuck trying to be the version of himself everyone expects. Can Stella show him that people might actually love the REAL Rhys? Maybe even the way she’s starting to?
While she’s helping him with his image, he’s helping her tackle her “30 by 30” list, which brings them even closer. And when a blizzard snows them in together… well, let’s just say the chemistry heats up! But mixing work and romance could totally mess up Stella’s plans... is Rhys worth the risk, or does she need to rethink what her future looks like?
The chemistry between these two was amazing! I loved Rhys’s character depth and how Stella helped him reconnect with his love of music. And when Rhys falls for Stella... he falls hard! The “30 by 30” list, the letters, the community, all of it just hit perfectly. I’m definitely reading more of Brittany’s books after this one!
I received a complimentary copy. This review is my honest opinion.
What's inside:
Rockstar romance
Christmas
Grumpy/sunshine
He falls first
Small town
She believes in Santa
Secret tattoos
Snowed in
Forced proximity
Workplace romance
Stella has crushed on Rhys for YEARS, but when she finally meets him, the dream totally crashes and burns. He’s moody, rude, and nothing like the guy she imagined. Fast forward to when her career starts taking off, and suddenly Rhys needs help fixing his image… and who better than Stella? He’s not exactly the guy whose poster she used to kiss, but helping him could give her career a huge boost. She just has to figure out who the REAL Rhys is underneath the fame.
As they spend more time together, Stella starts to fall for the real him, the one he hides from the world. But Rhys is stuck trying to be the version of himself everyone expects. Can Stella show him that people might actually love the REAL Rhys? Maybe even the way she’s starting to?
While she’s helping him with his image, he’s helping her tackle her “30 by 30” list, which brings them even closer. And when a blizzard snows them in together… well, let’s just say the chemistry heats up! But mixing work and romance could totally mess up Stella’s plans... is Rhys worth the risk, or does she need to rethink what her future looks like?
The chemistry between these two was amazing! I loved Rhys’s character depth and how Stella helped him reconnect with his love of music. And when Rhys falls for Stella... he falls hard! The “30 by 30” list, the letters, the community, all of it just hit perfectly. I’m definitely reading more of Brittany’s books after this one!
I received a complimentary copy. This review is my honest opinion.
November 11, 2025
Eee!! I have been so excited for Rhys & Stella’s story and it was beyond adorable!!
Rhys James is a rockstar with a less than favorable reputation at the moment. Stella is a social media strategist who has been in love with Rhys since her teenage years. The two are already acquaintances through mutual friends and Stella thinks she can help turn his reputation around if people can see who he really is and hear the kind of music he writes from his heart.
Ahhh!!! These two are so dang cute with the most undeniable chemistry! I loved the sparks that flew between these two and their banter was so good! I loved how they pushed each other and also how they strengthened and lifted each other. They were the cutest couple!!
Favorite quotes:
“I have no idea who the real Rhys James is, and I’m not sure he does either, but he’s going to have to find that truth before I can tell his story. I won’t sell a lie. Not about him. And not about the fantasy version of him I wish was real.”
“When he doesn’t answer, I steal a glance at him. Rhys licks his lips, and I remember how much I used to want to kiss those lips for real. I can’t help noticing they look so much softer than poster paper pinned to a textured wall.”
“The thought occurs to me we’re standing close enough I could not only make my fantasies of kissing Rhys come true but could also cross off the second item on my 30 Before 30 List: kiss a rockstar.”
“I peel my eyes away from his abs, but not before he catches me. He smirks, then stretches his arms above his head with a fake yawn. I may be weak-willed when it comes to six-packs, but I won’t give him the satisfaction of teasing me about it.”
Rhys James is a rockstar with a less than favorable reputation at the moment. Stella is a social media strategist who has been in love with Rhys since her teenage years. The two are already acquaintances through mutual friends and Stella thinks she can help turn his reputation around if people can see who he really is and hear the kind of music he writes from his heart.
Ahhh!!! These two are so dang cute with the most undeniable chemistry! I loved the sparks that flew between these two and their banter was so good! I loved how they pushed each other and also how they strengthened and lifted each other. They were the cutest couple!!
Favorite quotes:
“I have no idea who the real Rhys James is, and I’m not sure he does either, but he’s going to have to find that truth before I can tell his story. I won’t sell a lie. Not about him. And not about the fantasy version of him I wish was real.”
“When he doesn’t answer, I steal a glance at him. Rhys licks his lips, and I remember how much I used to want to kiss those lips for real. I can’t help noticing they look so much softer than poster paper pinned to a textured wall.”
“The thought occurs to me we’re standing close enough I could not only make my fantasies of kissing Rhys come true but could also cross off the second item on my 30 Before 30 List: kiss a rockstar.”
“I peel my eyes away from his abs, but not before he catches me. He smirks, then stretches his arms above his head with a fake yawn. I may be weak-willed when it comes to six-packs, but I won’t give him the satisfaction of teasing me about it.”
November 12, 2025
HAPPY RELEASE DAY!!!!!
I received an ARC copy of this book from Brittany. Thank you!
This book was so cute!!! It was Christmas-sy enough to get me excited for the upcoming season, but also was warm enough (taking place mostly in LA) to remind me that we’re not in winter jusssssttttt yet. Although, I think I might need to put my fall books aside and focus on Christmas books for the rest of the year 😂
Includes:
• grumpy/sunshine trope
• forced proximity
• rock start romance
Im a huge fan of book series that utilize the same universe. I had read Britta’s story and had already met Rhys, so I knew I was going to love this book already!
I loved seeing Rhys transform from a grump who only shines onstage to a genuine man who has so much personality both onstage and off. Also can we just talk about the way he handled conflict with Stella??? PERFECTION! Thank you for showing that 3rd act conflicts don’t need to be full blown arguments - they can be handled with grace.
Overall: loved this book! I need to go back and read the rest of the intertwining stories now….
I received an ARC copy of this book from Brittany. Thank you!
This book was so cute!!! It was Christmas-sy enough to get me excited for the upcoming season, but also was warm enough (taking place mostly in LA) to remind me that we’re not in winter jusssssttttt yet. Although, I think I might need to put my fall books aside and focus on Christmas books for the rest of the year 😂
Includes:
• grumpy/sunshine trope
• forced proximity
• rock start romance
Im a huge fan of book series that utilize the same universe. I had read Britta’s story and had already met Rhys, so I knew I was going to love this book already!
I loved seeing Rhys transform from a grump who only shines onstage to a genuine man who has so much personality both onstage and off. Also can we just talk about the way he handled conflict with Stella??? PERFECTION! Thank you for showing that 3rd act conflicts don’t need to be full blown arguments - they can be handled with grace.
Overall: loved this book! I need to go back and read the rest of the intertwining stories now….
November 19, 2025
Oh my goodness! You get ALL.THE.FEELS in this sweet Christmas romance!
I received an ARC from the author and all opinions are my own.
I received an ARC from the author and all opinions are my own.
January 4, 2026
I love, love, loved listening to this audiobook! Rys's Australian accent was very swoony!!! The two narrators, Corinne Davies and Antony Davis, brought the chemistry and story to life!!! Stella and Rhys have such an adventure awaiting them in this story! Especially that first meeting! Hahaha! Poor Stella doesn't know what to think of her teenage heartthrob crush after meeting him. But she's not going to let that little setback stop her. She's a lady on a mission and is happy and finds ways to keep pushing forward with making her dreams and hard work thrive!
Rhys is having a bit of a year...or a couple. He finds himself stuck in a rut and needs to find a way out of it. And it just might be that happy Stella Sparks, the lady he wasn't too kind to in a moment. But thankfully they're able to put that in the past and move forward.
I loved watching how they worked together, even if some of it was a forced working together. They had me smiling and laughing...and swooning and sighing!!! Seriously loved these two so much!
When they're both able to open up and share about their pasts and frustrations and dreams, they can't help but be friends and work towards their common goals.
And the music...all the music!!! I loved it so much!!! If they were real performers I'd totally be there wanting to sing along and listen!!!
Ebook or audiobook, you're in for a treat with this one. And you're going to love seeing previous characters (if you've read the previous books). If you haven't read the previous books, you're probably going to want to go back and do so after reading/listening to this one!
Content: It's been several weeks since I read this one to when I'm reviewing it that I can't remember anything too specific content wise, but I do remember that it was a clean read and I would let my teenagers read it.
I received a copy from Victory Editing NetGalley Co-Op via NetGalley. All thoughts and opinions in the review are my own.
Happy Reading/Listening!!!
Rhys is having a bit of a year...or a couple. He finds himself stuck in a rut and needs to find a way out of it. And it just might be that happy Stella Sparks, the lady he wasn't too kind to in a moment. But thankfully they're able to put that in the past and move forward.
I loved watching how they worked together, even if some of it was a forced working together. They had me smiling and laughing...and swooning and sighing!!! Seriously loved these two so much!
When they're both able to open up and share about their pasts and frustrations and dreams, they can't help but be friends and work towards their common goals.
And the music...all the music!!! I loved it so much!!! If they were real performers I'd totally be there wanting to sing along and listen!!!
Ebook or audiobook, you're in for a treat with this one. And you're going to love seeing previous characters (if you've read the previous books). If you haven't read the previous books, you're probably going to want to go back and do so after reading/listening to this one!
Content: It's been several weeks since I read this one to when I'm reviewing it that I can't remember anything too specific content wise, but I do remember that it was a clean read and I would let my teenagers read it.
I received a copy from Victory Editing NetGalley Co-Op via NetGalley. All thoughts and opinions in the review are my own.
Happy Reading/Listening!!!
December 1, 2025
Sooo... The Name of the Book is: Fa-La La-La Land....
Do you think that at any point in this book you are going to be sobbing??
Well, if you are like me, NO!!!
So, what a surprise to me that this one would bring out so many deep level emotions that it would bring me to tears... Multiple Times!!!! 😮😳🧐😉😊🩷
Somehow I thought this was going to be a cute, fun, rom-com that would have me laughing out loud! Which it absolutely did!! But, it also brought out the other emotions too... so many of them!
So, once again, ALL THE STARS FOR ME!!!
Just a short little recap as I don't want to give too much away...
Rock legend who is totally unhappy with what they are portraying him to be... and, making him sing! His name is Rhys. (Pronounced like Reece's Peanut Butter cups...)
And, a social media manager named Stella (called La-La) who has had a crush on Rhys, well, for as long as she can remember... and now, well, she's managing his social media accounts. AND, trying to help him be the best person he can be!!
And, be sure to listen to the bonus chapter!! It will bring closure to so much!!
ALL THE STARS!!! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️✨✨✨✨✨💫💫💫💫💫🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟
#FaLaLaLaLand by @BrittanyLarsen and narrated absolutely beautifully by @CorinneDavies and @AntonyDavis.
*** This one has JUST RELEASED TODAY, so please look 👀 for it today, 12/01/25!! ***
Thanks so much to #NetGalley and #VictoryEditingNetGalleyCoop for an ALC of the audiobook in exchange for an honest review.
You can find my reviews on: Goodreads,
Instagram: @BookReviews_with_emsr and/or
My Facebook Book Club: Book Reviews With Elaine
Thanks so much for reading! And if you ‘liked’ my review, please share with your friends, & click ‘LIKE’ below… And, let me know YOUR thoughts if you read it!! 📚⭐️
Do you think that at any point in this book you are going to be sobbing??
Well, if you are like me, NO!!!
So, what a surprise to me that this one would bring out so many deep level emotions that it would bring me to tears... Multiple Times!!!! 😮😳🧐😉😊🩷
Somehow I thought this was going to be a cute, fun, rom-com that would have me laughing out loud! Which it absolutely did!! But, it also brought out the other emotions too... so many of them!
So, once again, ALL THE STARS FOR ME!!!
Just a short little recap as I don't want to give too much away...
Rock legend who is totally unhappy with what they are portraying him to be... and, making him sing! His name is Rhys. (Pronounced like Reece's Peanut Butter cups...)
And, a social media manager named Stella (called La-La) who has had a crush on Rhys, well, for as long as she can remember... and now, well, she's managing his social media accounts. AND, trying to help him be the best person he can be!!
And, be sure to listen to the bonus chapter!! It will bring closure to so much!!
ALL THE STARS!!! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️✨✨✨✨✨💫💫💫💫💫🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟
#FaLaLaLaLand by @BrittanyLarsen and narrated absolutely beautifully by @CorinneDavies and @AntonyDavis.
*** This one has JUST RELEASED TODAY, so please look 👀 for it today, 12/01/25!! ***
Thanks so much to #NetGalley and #VictoryEditingNetGalleyCoop for an ALC of the audiobook in exchange for an honest review.
You can find my reviews on: Goodreads,
Instagram: @BookReviews_with_emsr and/or
My Facebook Book Club: Book Reviews With Elaine
Thanks so much for reading! And if you ‘liked’ my review, please share with your friends, & click ‘LIKE’ below… And, let me know YOUR thoughts if you read it!! 📚⭐️
December 2, 2025
Fa-La-La-La Land is such a cute, feel-good holiday rom-com that genuinely gave me all the festive, cozy feels. The audiobook is a standout — Corinne Davies and Antony Davis are fantastic in their dual narration. Their voices suit Stella and Rhys perfectly, and I loved their performances so much that I found myself wishing it had been a full duet.
Stella is all sunshine, spark, and bubbly charm, while grumpy rockstar Rhys brings just the right amount of brooding warmth once those walls start to crack. Their first meeting is delightfully disastrous, but the forced proximity that follows builds a believable friendship and slow-burn chemistry that had me grinning throughout.
The way Rhys gets involved in her 30-by-30 bucket list adds some adorable, heartfelt moments - and gave me more than a few goosebumps, especially during that musical scene.
I also loved the snowy, tension-filled sequence that keeps the story completely clean but still full of swoony energy. And woven through all the rom-com fun is a sweet, sentimental holiday thread involving Stella’s annual Christmas tradition, which added unexpected emotional depth.
Overall, this is a warm, uplifting, clean romance with great banter, charming characters, and genuine heart. A solid 4-starread for me, and one I’d definitely recommend to anyone who loves cute, festive, feel-good rom-coms.
Thank you to Brittany Larsen and Victory Editing NetGalley Co-op for the Audiobook ARC!
Stella is all sunshine, spark, and bubbly charm, while grumpy rockstar Rhys brings just the right amount of brooding warmth once those walls start to crack. Their first meeting is delightfully disastrous, but the forced proximity that follows builds a believable friendship and slow-burn chemistry that had me grinning throughout.
The way Rhys gets involved in her 30-by-30 bucket list adds some adorable, heartfelt moments - and gave me more than a few goosebumps, especially during that musical scene.
I also loved the snowy, tension-filled sequence that keeps the story completely clean but still full of swoony energy. And woven through all the rom-com fun is a sweet, sentimental holiday thread involving Stella’s annual Christmas tradition, which added unexpected emotional depth.
Overall, this is a warm, uplifting, clean romance with great banter, charming characters, and genuine heart. A solid 4-starread for me, and one I’d definitely recommend to anyone who loves cute, festive, feel-good rom-coms.
Thank you to Brittany Larsen and Victory Editing NetGalley Co-op for the Audiobook ARC!
December 3, 2025
★★☆☆☆
I really wanted to enjoy this one because the premise had a lot of potential: a popstar, a holiday setting, and the promise of a grumpy/sunshine dynamic. Unfortunately, the execution just didn’t land for me.
The biggest issue was the complete lack of chemistry between the two main characters. Their relationship felt rushed and relied heavily on instalove rather than natural development. Instead of slowly building tension, connection, or emotional depth, they were seemingly into each other almost immediately, which made it hard to feel invested in their romance.
The grumpy/sunshine trope, which is usually one of my favorites, fell completely flat here. The contrast between the characters felt forced and shallow, and the supposed emotional push-and-pull never truly materialized. Rather than complementing each other, the characters just felt underdeveloped and unconvincing as a couple.
The nickname “La La” was also incredibly distracting and quickly became annoying instead of endearing. Rather than creating intimacy, it felt repetitive and immature, and it pulled me out of the story every time it was used.
Overall, it was okay, but it definitely didn’t live up to its potential. Flat chemistry, weak trope execution, and underutilized character backgrounds make this a very forgettable holiday romance for me.
I really wanted to enjoy this one because the premise had a lot of potential: a popstar, a holiday setting, and the promise of a grumpy/sunshine dynamic. Unfortunately, the execution just didn’t land for me.
The biggest issue was the complete lack of chemistry between the two main characters. Their relationship felt rushed and relied heavily on instalove rather than natural development. Instead of slowly building tension, connection, or emotional depth, they were seemingly into each other almost immediately, which made it hard to feel invested in their romance.
The grumpy/sunshine trope, which is usually one of my favorites, fell completely flat here. The contrast between the characters felt forced and shallow, and the supposed emotional push-and-pull never truly materialized. Rather than complementing each other, the characters just felt underdeveloped and unconvincing as a couple.
The nickname “La La” was also incredibly distracting and quickly became annoying instead of endearing. Rather than creating intimacy, it felt repetitive and immature, and it pulled me out of the story every time it was used.
Overall, it was okay, but it definitely didn’t live up to its potential. Flat chemistry, weak trope execution, and underutilized character backgrounds make this a very forgettable holiday romance for me.
December 17, 2025
4.5 ⭐️
What a cute celebrity Christmas romance from Brittany Larsen! I loved every minute reading this! It definitely gave me all the warm cozy feels that you want in a Christmas romance.
Stella has loved Rhys since she was 13, and use to kiss his posters good night. Unfortunately when she gets to met him, their meeting was rocky at best and she thinks he is a jerk. Until a bad moment at one of his concerts goes viral and he needs her help as a social media strategist to improve his image in time for the Winter Lights concert.
This one was so fun but also emotional and heartfelt. It was a festive story with some amazing slow burn chemistry between Rhys and Stella and kisses that melted the pages. I especially loved how Stella helps Rhys to find his true self so his fans see who he really is instead of who his record label has forced him to become. It was such a beautiful aspect to this story. I also loved the forced proximity when the two were snowed in together. Both Stella and Rhys have a lot on the line that kept me turning the pages to see how everything would work out. The story ended in the best way and was just pure Christmas magic!
What a cute celebrity Christmas romance from Brittany Larsen! I loved every minute reading this! It definitely gave me all the warm cozy feels that you want in a Christmas romance.
Stella has loved Rhys since she was 13, and use to kiss his posters good night. Unfortunately when she gets to met him, their meeting was rocky at best and she thinks he is a jerk. Until a bad moment at one of his concerts goes viral and he needs her help as a social media strategist to improve his image in time for the Winter Lights concert.
This one was so fun but also emotional and heartfelt. It was a festive story with some amazing slow burn chemistry between Rhys and Stella and kisses that melted the pages. I especially loved how Stella helps Rhys to find his true self so his fans see who he really is instead of who his record label has forced him to become. It was such a beautiful aspect to this story. I also loved the forced proximity when the two were snowed in together. Both Stella and Rhys have a lot on the line that kept me turning the pages to see how everything would work out. The story ended in the best way and was just pure Christmas magic!
November 15, 2025
Is it Christmas yet 🎄 Brittany Larsen’s newest book was literally SO CUTE 🥰 I was laughing 🤣 and swooning 🫠 the whole time!!
Stella. AKA La La 🥹 okay that meet cute was SO REAL 🤣 bc same 😳 I absolutely loved Stella’s character 💕 She was so snarky but also down to earth and loving 💗
Rhys. Underneath his mask, this man has a HEART OF GOLD 💛 🥹 and MAN IS HE FLIRTY 😳 🥵 seriously I had to fan myself a couple times 🪭 I loved watching him grow into who he really was 🥹
This book was Christmas rom com GOLD 🎄 like seriously it was so cute and had the most fun Christmas vibes! I ADORE insta-love, and while that isn’t completely correct for this book 😂 (idk the word for it) I loved how their relationship was paced!! It felt so perfect for these two 🥰
I binged it in one sitting and I was so sad when it was over because I wasn’t ready to say goodbye 💕
⚠️ CW: infrequent minor swears, mild innuendo, death of a military parent, grief⚠️
Stella. AKA La La 🥹 okay that meet cute was SO REAL 🤣 bc same 😳 I absolutely loved Stella’s character 💕 She was so snarky but also down to earth and loving 💗
Rhys. Underneath his mask, this man has a HEART OF GOLD 💛 🥹 and MAN IS HE FLIRTY 😳 🥵 seriously I had to fan myself a couple times 🪭 I loved watching him grow into who he really was 🥹
This book was Christmas rom com GOLD 🎄 like seriously it was so cute and had the most fun Christmas vibes! I ADORE insta-love, and while that isn’t completely correct for this book 😂 (idk the word for it) I loved how their relationship was paced!! It felt so perfect for these two 🥰
I binged it in one sitting and I was so sad when it was over because I wasn’t ready to say goodbye 💕
⚠️ CW: infrequent minor swears, mild innuendo, death of a military parent, grief⚠️
November 30, 2025
I did something I never do—I jumped into a series right in the middle. But when I saw Fa La La La Land on NetGalley, it sounded way too cute to pass up. I’m so glad I broke my own rule, because the audiobook was an absolute treat!
Even without reading the first two books, I never once felt lost. Rhys and Stella were so stinkin’ cute together, and their chemistry totally came to life in audio. I loved how they pushed each other to grow, supporting one another’s dreams and goals in such a genuine way. Their dynamic was sweet, charming, and full of holiday sparkle.
The story itself made for a perfect festive listen—fun, warm, and wonderfully cozy. And that epilogue? It had me misty-eyed, fighting back tears in the best way.
A delightful holiday audiobook I definitely recommend. Solid 4 stars from me! 🎄✨
Even without reading the first two books, I never once felt lost. Rhys and Stella were so stinkin’ cute together, and their chemistry totally came to life in audio. I loved how they pushed each other to grow, supporting one another’s dreams and goals in such a genuine way. Their dynamic was sweet, charming, and full of holiday sparkle.
The story itself made for a perfect festive listen—fun, warm, and wonderfully cozy. And that epilogue? It had me misty-eyed, fighting back tears in the best way.
A delightful holiday audiobook I definitely recommend. Solid 4 stars from me! 🎄✨
December 17, 2025
This was a sweet Christmassy read. Stella is a social media marketing manager & she gets hired by her long time childhood crush Reece James. He’s a singer of cheesy pop music and he’s got a bit of a reputation that she needs to save.
I loved their relationship developing, I loved her supporting him & him finally getting what he deserves in his career rather than his career being in service fog everyone else.
It’s not really an enemies to lovers, but a friends to lovers. With a bit of pining thrown in for good measure on Reece’s side.
I’d give it a strong 3.5 ⭐️ the only thing that would have made the dual perspective better is the voice that the female narrator did for Reece, that did take me a little getting used to. But overall a cute, festive listen.
I loved their relationship developing, I loved her supporting him & him finally getting what he deserves in his career rather than his career being in service fog everyone else.
It’s not really an enemies to lovers, but a friends to lovers. With a bit of pining thrown in for good measure on Reece’s side.
I’d give it a strong 3.5 ⭐️ the only thing that would have made the dual perspective better is the voice that the female narrator did for Reece, that did take me a little getting used to. But overall a cute, festive listen.
November 11, 2025
This book was holiday magic! I knew from their first meeting that I was going to LOVE Rhys and Stella and boy did I ever!!
I loved Rhys! I loved grumpy Rhys. I loved broody Rhys. I loved teasing and flirty Rhys. I loved smitten Rhys. His arc was so good!! He’s struggling to find who he is apart from his record label’s manufactured image, trying to make his own way.
Stella, I love how you’ve crushed so hard on Rhys for so long, but when push came to shove, you fought for, supported, and encouraged the real Rhys James.
Their story is a wonderful blend of silliness and swoon, holiday sweetness, and emotional heart to hearts. Their chemistry really was off the charts!
With all the cameos from the Paradise family I was in heaven.
And OH MY HEART the epilogue. Grab a tissue!!
Thank you to Brittany Larsen for the copy. All opinions are my own.
I loved Rhys! I loved grumpy Rhys. I loved broody Rhys. I loved teasing and flirty Rhys. I loved smitten Rhys. His arc was so good!! He’s struggling to find who he is apart from his record label’s manufactured image, trying to make his own way.
Stella, I love how you’ve crushed so hard on Rhys for so long, but when push came to shove, you fought for, supported, and encouraged the real Rhys James.
Their story is a wonderful blend of silliness and swoon, holiday sweetness, and emotional heart to hearts. Their chemistry really was off the charts!
With all the cameos from the Paradise family I was in heaven.
And OH MY HEART the epilogue. Grab a tissue!!
Thank you to Brittany Larsen for the copy. All opinions are my own.
December 22, 2025
Having never read a Brittany Larsen book before, I was pleasantly surprised by just how much I adored this story! It did take a moment to catch on to some of the background since it’s the third book in the series, but it absolutely works as a standalone too.
The narrators were perfection—those accents truly brought the story to life. The characters felt well developed and full of depth, making it easy to connect with them. By the end, I was already eager to dive into more of Brittany Larsen’s work. And that bonus epilogue? Such a delightful treat!
A huge thank-you to NetGalley for the chance to listen to this fun, cozy, and utterly charming holiday read. 🎄✨
The narrators were perfection—those accents truly brought the story to life. The characters felt well developed and full of depth, making it easy to connect with them. By the end, I was already eager to dive into more of Brittany Larsen’s work. And that bonus epilogue? Such a delightful treat!
A huge thank-you to NetGalley for the chance to listen to this fun, cozy, and utterly charming holiday read. 🎄✨
December 31, 2025
The Love in LA series wouldn’t be the same without Stella’s and Rhys’s story. Rhys is an actor-turned-pop-star who is obligated to perform what his label demands and I wish more than anything I could’ve heard the songs he was dying to play, the ones who are true to his soul. Stella is hired to social media his image into something people love and can relate to, and in the midst of her job, the banter turns to sparks, as slow and heavy-laden as the storm that trapped them together.
Delightful friction and wit make this one a dream to devour. The small-town charm, impromptu band, and swoon galore sang a Christmas carol straight to my heart. I adore how connected this series is to her Love in Paradise Valley set, and Christmas set in this ideal locale is everything.
This enchanting story is holiday perfection–so sweet, so swoony, and oh, so satisfying.
*I received a complimentary copy. All thoughts and opinions expressed are my own and were voluntarily given.*
Delightful friction and wit make this one a dream to devour. The small-town charm, impromptu band, and swoon galore sang a Christmas carol straight to my heart. I adore how connected this series is to her Love in Paradise Valley set, and Christmas set in this ideal locale is everything.
This enchanting story is holiday perfection–so sweet, so swoony, and oh, so satisfying.
*I received a complimentary copy. All thoughts and opinions expressed are my own and were voluntarily given.*
December 5, 2025
Thank you, @bookedwiththeemilys and Brittany Larsen for the gifted digital copy of this book.
Super sweet rockstar romance set during the holidays. Stella is a social media manager who used to love rockstar Rhys until a not so great encounter. Now a couple years later, he needs her help to clean up his image. With some forced proximity, traveling, and a snowed in moment, this romance checks all the boxes!
In this book:
*grumpy/sunshine
*Rockstar romance
*Snowed in
*Forced proximity
Super sweet rockstar romance set during the holidays. Stella is a social media manager who used to love rockstar Rhys until a not so great encounter. Now a couple years later, he needs her help to clean up his image. With some forced proximity, traveling, and a snowed in moment, this romance checks all the boxes!
In this book:
*grumpy/sunshine
*Rockstar romance
*Snowed in
*Forced proximity
December 8, 2025
This was such a fun story! I loved watching Stella and Rhys fall for each other. Sweet, hard-working Stella, who used to be totally starstruck by Rhys as a teen, is suddenly seeing him in a whole new light. While she’s tackling her 30 Before 30 list, she’s also been hired to help fix his public image, and ends up fixing his heart instead.
If you love charming, feel-good romance, you’re going to adore this one as much as I did!
If you love charming, feel-good romance, you’re going to adore this one as much as I did!
December 26, 2025
Rating: 3.5 round up to 4
Thanks to @bookedwiththeemilys and @brittanylarsen.books for the #gifted copies of this book.
My Thoughts: I really enjoyed this one. I mean, how cool would it be to work for your teenage crush—and not only that, but fall in love with him? Rhys is not a Christmas person, especially if the song he is most famous for is being played. Stella, on the other hand, is a Christmas fanatic and starts celebrating in October. Rhys deciding to help Stella with her before-30 bucket list was so much fun and really brought them closer together. Packed with lots of holiday fun, being snowed in, and writing the perfect songs, this book was a great escape from all the to-dos on my list.
🎧Corinne Davies and Antony Davis did a wonderful job of bringing Rhys and Stella to my ears. I highly suggest listening to this story.
What You'll Find:
🎸Rockstar Romance
⛅️Grumpy X Sunshine
🎄Holiday Romance
🤫Forced Proximity
😍He Falls First
🌃Small Town Girl in the Big City
📋Bucket List
Thanks to @bookedwiththeemilys and @brittanylarsen.books for the #gifted copies of this book.
My Thoughts: I really enjoyed this one. I mean, how cool would it be to work for your teenage crush—and not only that, but fall in love with him? Rhys is not a Christmas person, especially if the song he is most famous for is being played. Stella, on the other hand, is a Christmas fanatic and starts celebrating in October. Rhys deciding to help Stella with her before-30 bucket list was so much fun and really brought them closer together. Packed with lots of holiday fun, being snowed in, and writing the perfect songs, this book was a great escape from all the to-dos on my list.
🎧Corinne Davies and Antony Davis did a wonderful job of bringing Rhys and Stella to my ears. I highly suggest listening to this story.
What You'll Find:
🎸Rockstar Romance
⛅️Grumpy X Sunshine
🎄Holiday Romance
🤫Forced Proximity
😍He Falls First
🌃Small Town Girl in the Big City
📋Bucket List
November 10, 2025
This was so sweet! Definitely an enjoyable Christmas read. While you can read it as a stand alone I kind of wished I’d finished reading the other Paradise books and LA books first. But more to look forward to later!
I’ve loved reading Brittany Larsen’s other books and received an ARC for this one.
I’ve loved reading Brittany Larsen’s other books and received an ARC for this one.
November 28, 2025
Don’t mind my tears during the last chapter! Absolutely loved Stella and Rhys’ story. At first I was worried that their relationship went so fast but I actually really loved that the storyline was more about Rhys finding himself.
November 29, 2025
If we could half stars I would have gone 3.5. A cute Christmas read for sure!
No spice and just a cute story of finding yourself.
No spice and just a cute story of finding yourself.
December 4, 2025
Thank you NetGalley for the Audiobook ARC of this book!
Grumpy rockstar who feels lost x sunshine social media manager who tries to make it big in LA (and had a crush on said rockstar as a teenager - but now he kinda sucks, right?)
All that as a funsy little christmassy rom-com.
It wasn’t anything super new and I was up for a silly little read (or well.. listen) so I didn’t expect the world from this book, but -sadly- it made me cringe a whole lot. The characters and plot had potential but I didn’t see a any chemistry. Things happened way too quickly for me to be invested in their relationship. Where was the proper yearning, the pining. Like yes we see from both POVs how they feel but idk it felt flat and underdeveloped.
My reaction to like 99% of the book was „okay…. I guess?“. And I just didn’t find them that likeable.
Also I think sadly the voice actors might’ve made it worse for me. I can’t tell you why, but I just couldn’t warm up to them. I just got a bit annoyed. And their respective voices for the main character of the other gender were cringy imo
Also: take a shot whenever they say „Fa La Lalaland“. At some point we know what the song is called lol
This isn’t a terrible book but it’s just not for me.
Please note this is in no way meant to hate on the author, the voice actors or anyone who does enjoy this book.
This is my honest, very subjective review. Don’t let others steal your joy :)
Grumpy rockstar who feels lost x sunshine social media manager who tries to make it big in LA (and had a crush on said rockstar as a teenager - but now he kinda sucks, right?)
All that as a funsy little christmassy rom-com.
It wasn’t anything super new and I was up for a silly little read (or well.. listen) so I didn’t expect the world from this book, but -sadly- it made me cringe a whole lot. The characters and plot had potential but I didn’t see a any chemistry. Things happened way too quickly for me to be invested in their relationship. Where was the proper yearning, the pining. Like yes we see from both POVs how they feel but idk it felt flat and underdeveloped.
My reaction to like 99% of the book was „okay…. I guess?“. And I just didn’t find them that likeable.
Also I think sadly the voice actors might’ve made it worse for me. I can’t tell you why, but I just couldn’t warm up to them. I just got a bit annoyed. And their respective voices for the main character of the other gender were cringy imo
Also: take a shot whenever they say „Fa La Lalaland“. At some point we know what the song is called lol
This isn’t a terrible book but it’s just not for me.
Please note this is in no way meant to hate on the author, the voice actors or anyone who does enjoy this book.
This is my honest, very subjective review. Don’t let others steal your joy :)
December 25, 2025
Really cute story. Narration almost had me giving up but the story was engaging so I struggled through it as it was the only choice I had other than a DNF. I’d rate it a 3.5 in spite of narration.
November 11, 2025
My favorite Brittany Larsen book so far!
This one had all the feels and made for such a delightful Christmas story.
Holiday perfection in my mind.
I have been waiting to have a book about Stella and Rhys, and it was worth the wait!
(This has characters in it from her other stories, so highly recommend reading others first. It will make this one mean so much more if you do!)
I always love a trip back to Paradise.
The epilouge made me cry.
This one had all the feels and made for such a delightful Christmas story.
Holiday perfection in my mind.
I have been waiting to have a book about Stella and Rhys, and it was worth the wait!
(This has characters in it from her other stories, so highly recommend reading others first. It will make this one mean so much more if you do!)
I always love a trip back to Paradise.
The epilouge made me cry.
December 12, 2025
I was so excited to read about Stella and Rhys. All of their interactions before she became his social media manager were like little bread crumbs leading to the big thing. Stella doesn’t pull punches and tells it like it is. She may not have lots of experience but she’s smart and has a huge heart. I absolutely loved Stella’s message for Rhys: know your worth. She didn’t want him to become some cocky, big headed rock star. She wanted him to finally see he didn’t have to act like someone else for others to love him. He was worthy of love and had lots to offer as himself. I’m glad that Rhys was smart enough to see what he had in Stella from the beginning and didn’t deny his feelings. The epilogue had me in tears, so just a little warning. It was so sweet and just perfect.
Just listened to the audio and I still love this story. I appreciate that it was dual narration and the male had a great Australian accent.
Just listened to the audio and I still love this story. I appreciate that it was dual narration and the male had a great Australian accent.
January 10, 2026
This was a fun holiday romance if you are looking for something other than the typical small town, cozy, family together sort of thing you usually find with holiday romance books.
Book 3 in the series, this story is about ambitious Stella and rock star Rhys. While I definitely appreciated knowing who they were and a bit of their backstory from previous books, it could 100% be read as a standalone without issue.
I especially appreciated the character development in this book. More than just a “grumpy/sunshine” sort of trope, not only did Rhys change as he fell in love with Stella, but as the reader, I came to understand and appreciate him more as the book went on. That his “grumpiness” wasn’t just a starting point for his character, but in many ways very justified based on the path he had been forced to take with his career.
Thank you to NetGalley and Victory Editing for providing me with a copy of this book as well as the audiobook. All opinions are my own.
Book 3 in the series, this story is about ambitious Stella and rock star Rhys. While I definitely appreciated knowing who they were and a bit of their backstory from previous books, it could 100% be read as a standalone without issue.
I especially appreciated the character development in this book. More than just a “grumpy/sunshine” sort of trope, not only did Rhys change as he fell in love with Stella, but as the reader, I came to understand and appreciate him more as the book went on. That his “grumpiness” wasn’t just a starting point for his character, but in many ways very justified based on the path he had been forced to take with his career.
Thank you to NetGalley and Victory Editing for providing me with a copy of this book as well as the audiobook. All opinions are my own.
December 7, 2025
Starting this off saying that I received the e-book & audio book as ARCs from Victory Publishing, so huge thanks to them!
This was my first holiday romance of the year, and for those of you who know me, I LOVE a cheesy fluffy novel- unfortunately this one just did not meet my expectations. Brittany Larsen had the perfect setup: an American social media manager & her long-time Australian rockstar crush; the woman who still believes in Santa & Scrooge reincarnate; the girl who deserves the world & the man who has the means to give it to her! Unfortunately, Stella and Rhys had next to no chemistry. (Also side note of the century, but it is the year 2025, there is no adult man on this planet with the name Rhys. Authors: please get comfortable using normal names or normal spellings. Reese would have been totally believable!! These names that are popular baby names now just take the reader out of the story!! If you're going to use baby names dot com, do us and yourselves the favor of searching popular names of the year your character would have been born, not the current year!!) The insta-love they had seemingly came out of nowhere after their initial, less than friendly meeting years prior. Every single thing that happened just felt like it was to move the story from one point to another, but in the least natural or organic way possible.
The beginning of the text felt very rushed, we jumped from one day to months to a year (or more) later & I can't quite wrap my head around why this story had to be formatted in the messiest timeline to start off with. I will be candid and say that I didn't originally know that this was book 3 in an interconnected series, which hopefully factors in to why the first couple of chapters felt so jumbled. However, if this book is indicative of the plots of Larsen's other novels, I'm sad to say that I'm going to have to pass on them.
The highlight of this book for me that ALMOST brought my rating to 3 stars wasn't even technically in the actual book. The Epilogue held all of the emotional depth that I had been wanting and hoping for since page one, and I will fully admit that it brought me to tears. Being able to read about the community who loved Stella so fiercely coming together throughout the years to grant her Christmas wish of getting letters from her dad who had died early on in her life? Incredible. Emotional. Poignant. But not even having it be a part of the main text of the book & calling it an epilogue? Even with a bonus chapter afterwards? Very odd choice.
Specific notes about the audiobook: Woof. There is no easy way to put this, but I am SO thankful that I had the e-book to read along with, because the Rhys narrator was next to impossible to hear or understand- which I'm sure is partially to do with whoever did the sound mixing, but for an 8 hour and 21 minute audiobook, you would hope that would have been corrected before publishing. At one point I tried to listen to the audiobook while driving & I had to bring my radio volume up to the highest possible setting JUST on Rhys' chapters. I promise it had nothing to do with an Australian accent, I do know and converse with people from Australia and understand them just fine! But the narrator kept his voice far too low, quiet, and broody to actually be understood whenever he wasn't doing a different voice for Stella, or Gia, or someone else. The audiobook also had me cringing every time either narrator had to say the book's title; the specific staccato of "Fa-la...LaLaLand" was cute maybe the first two times, but it occurred exactly 52 times in the 28 chapter-+epilogue- +bonus chapter book.
This was my first holiday romance of the year, and for those of you who know me, I LOVE a cheesy fluffy novel- unfortunately this one just did not meet my expectations. Brittany Larsen had the perfect setup: an American social media manager & her long-time Australian rockstar crush; the woman who still believes in Santa & Scrooge reincarnate; the girl who deserves the world & the man who has the means to give it to her! Unfortunately, Stella and Rhys had next to no chemistry. (Also side note of the century, but it is the year 2025, there is no adult man on this planet with the name Rhys. Authors: please get comfortable using normal names or normal spellings. Reese would have been totally believable!! These names that are popular baby names now just take the reader out of the story!! If you're going to use baby names dot com, do us and yourselves the favor of searching popular names of the year your character would have been born, not the current year!!) The insta-love they had seemingly came out of nowhere after their initial, less than friendly meeting years prior. Every single thing that happened just felt like it was to move the story from one point to another, but in the least natural or organic way possible.
The beginning of the text felt very rushed, we jumped from one day to months to a year (or more) later & I can't quite wrap my head around why this story had to be formatted in the messiest timeline to start off with. I will be candid and say that I didn't originally know that this was book 3 in an interconnected series, which hopefully factors in to why the first couple of chapters felt so jumbled. However, if this book is indicative of the plots of Larsen's other novels, I'm sad to say that I'm going to have to pass on them.
The highlight of this book for me that ALMOST brought my rating to 3 stars wasn't even technically in the actual book. The Epilogue held all of the emotional depth that I had been wanting and hoping for since page one, and I will fully admit that it brought me to tears. Being able to read about the community who loved Stella so fiercely coming together throughout the years to grant her Christmas wish of getting letters from her dad who had died early on in her life? Incredible. Emotional. Poignant. But not even having it be a part of the main text of the book & calling it an epilogue? Even with a bonus chapter afterwards? Very odd choice.
Specific notes about the audiobook: Woof. There is no easy way to put this, but I am SO thankful that I had the e-book to read along with, because the Rhys narrator was next to impossible to hear or understand- which I'm sure is partially to do with whoever did the sound mixing, but for an 8 hour and 21 minute audiobook, you would hope that would have been corrected before publishing. At one point I tried to listen to the audiobook while driving & I had to bring my radio volume up to the highest possible setting JUST on Rhys' chapters. I promise it had nothing to do with an Australian accent, I do know and converse with people from Australia and understand them just fine! But the narrator kept his voice far too low, quiet, and broody to actually be understood whenever he wasn't doing a different voice for Stella, or Gia, or someone else. The audiobook also had me cringing every time either narrator had to say the book's title; the specific staccato of "Fa-la...LaLaLand" was cute maybe the first two times, but it occurred exactly 52 times in the 28 chapter-+epilogue- +bonus chapter book.
December 16, 2025
(3.5)
This is the third book in a series. I didn't realize that when I started it but kept going once I realized it. I think that it would definitely be beneficial to start with the first two books because I think that you'd get a more flushed out sense of the book and the characters involved. Since I haven't read the first two, I'm going to leave a little spoiler space here just in case. I'm not sure what could be a spoiler for those two books.
SPOILER SPACE
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That should be good enough. If you don't want to risk spoilers do not keep reading (just in case).
Stella Sparks has a list of things she wants to do before she is thirty. Pop star Rhys James has a song that he absolutely hates that he sang and that he is trying to hide from during the holidays. Neither of them ever expected any sparks to fly with anyone right now.
Stella's new job is to revive the career of Rhys James (someone she proclaims to have been in love with since she was thirteen) before Winter Lights Live. The trouble is, Rhys has no interest at all of playing the perfect popstar. He's especially disheartened because his own label is insistent that he sing the ultra cheesy Christmas song that he's grown to hate. However, fate steps in and strands the two during a winter storm in Stella's hometown. The two grow closer and as Rhys is seeing the world a little clearer in that he may be could write his own story and realizes he is falling for Stella, she is determined (well, she claims to be a lot) not to fall for him because she doesn't want to lose her career. Whatever will happen with this pair? I'm not telling. You need to read it for yourself.
I'm not sure how I feel about this book. I did like it enough but at the same time I have to admit that Stella was a tiny bit annoying at times. She acted like she was so set against falling for him or accepting things from him but she allowed a trip that really didn't have much if anything to do with his career and this was after she knew he was feeling things for her. I think if she really was trying to keep things professional she might have made a different choice. Granted, she's young so that could have an impact on career minded individuals. I guess she was also trying to deny that she was falling for someone she was actually in love with for years. I don't know. She also kept telling him to do this and that but seemed to forget or not realize how a contract worked and that perhaps Rhys could find himself in quite a bit of trouble if he ditched it or broke it. The end was a little cheesy too but also kind of cute since this is a Christmas book and the endings that are happy are perfect for that!
All of this said, I do recommend this one. I just think that the first two should definitely be read before this one. I was lucky enough to get the chance to listen to the audio version of this book. It was really good even if Stella kind of came across as naive and young, She is depicted that way in the story so the narration really did work and the narrator who did Rhys voice was really great as well.
This is the third book in a series. I didn't realize that when I started it but kept going once I realized it. I think that it would definitely be beneficial to start with the first two books because I think that you'd get a more flushed out sense of the book and the characters involved. Since I haven't read the first two, I'm going to leave a little spoiler space here just in case. I'm not sure what could be a spoiler for those two books.
SPOILER SPACE
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*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
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That should be good enough. If you don't want to risk spoilers do not keep reading (just in case).
Stella Sparks has a list of things she wants to do before she is thirty. Pop star Rhys James has a song that he absolutely hates that he sang and that he is trying to hide from during the holidays. Neither of them ever expected any sparks to fly with anyone right now.
Stella's new job is to revive the career of Rhys James (someone she proclaims to have been in love with since she was thirteen) before Winter Lights Live. The trouble is, Rhys has no interest at all of playing the perfect popstar. He's especially disheartened because his own label is insistent that he sing the ultra cheesy Christmas song that he's grown to hate. However, fate steps in and strands the two during a winter storm in Stella's hometown. The two grow closer and as Rhys is seeing the world a little clearer in that he may be could write his own story and realizes he is falling for Stella, she is determined (well, she claims to be a lot) not to fall for him because she doesn't want to lose her career. Whatever will happen with this pair? I'm not telling. You need to read it for yourself.
I'm not sure how I feel about this book. I did like it enough but at the same time I have to admit that Stella was a tiny bit annoying at times. She acted like she was so set against falling for him or accepting things from him but she allowed a trip that really didn't have much if anything to do with his career and this was after she knew he was feeling things for her. I think if she really was trying to keep things professional she might have made a different choice. Granted, she's young so that could have an impact on career minded individuals. I guess she was also trying to deny that she was falling for someone she was actually in love with for years. I don't know. She also kept telling him to do this and that but seemed to forget or not realize how a contract worked and that perhaps Rhys could find himself in quite a bit of trouble if he ditched it or broke it. The end was a little cheesy too but also kind of cute since this is a Christmas book and the endings that are happy are perfect for that!
All of this said, I do recommend this one. I just think that the first two should definitely be read before this one. I was lucky enough to get the chance to listen to the audio version of this book. It was really good even if Stella kind of came across as naive and young, She is depicted that way in the story so the narration really did work and the narrator who did Rhys voice was really great as well.
December 10, 2025
I was instantly drawn to this book by the crazy title - it kind of reminded me of Christmas - especially with the lights in the trees on the cover - but also felt like a mini tongue-twister and I just had to find out what this was all about.
I was a little sad to later find out that this is actually the third book in the Love In LA series - but actually after the first couple of chapters, I really fell into this read and, ok, I might have had a couple of spoilers from the first two books (assuming that some of the characters are returning) - but this didn't really matter much once we got into the story proper.
I've read a couple of rockstar romances this year and I have to say that I love them!
They always remind me that famous people really are just people and that they go through tough times despite being rich and adored - it's a real hard life keeping up appearances.
So, I absolutely fell for Rhys, who had become famous for his Christmas song Fa-La La-La Land - but it seems that his on-stage persona took effort and his famous song ....well you'll have to read on to see what he feels about that!...
Stella was a bit of me! She loves Christmas and goes all out to decorate and celebrate, attending all of the traditional events in her home town.
She still believes in the magic of Christmas and I loved hearing about the tradition of her getting a letter each year.
This was such a heart-wrenching thread within the storyline and I loved it!
Obviously, Stella, the up and coming social media guru to the stars, steps in to rescue Rhys' reputation after he lost it with fans on stage at his last gig - and yep, you guessed it - they grow closer the more they get to know each other....and I was there for every second of it!
I loved the way their relationship developed in a respectful way - there was a lot of chemistry and tension builds up, but this is very much a clean read and I actually appreciated this for a change. It really suited the storyline and writing style.
I loved all the characters and it was great to see some of the other family members and friends throughout the book and I would love to go back and read the first two books before continuing to the next release.
This was such an easy, fun read and I couldn't put it down.
I totally devoured this over just a day.
A brilliant addition to any festive or winter tbr.
I was a little sad to later find out that this is actually the third book in the Love In LA series - but actually after the first couple of chapters, I really fell into this read and, ok, I might have had a couple of spoilers from the first two books (assuming that some of the characters are returning) - but this didn't really matter much once we got into the story proper.
I've read a couple of rockstar romances this year and I have to say that I love them!
They always remind me that famous people really are just people and that they go through tough times despite being rich and adored - it's a real hard life keeping up appearances.
So, I absolutely fell for Rhys, who had become famous for his Christmas song Fa-La La-La Land - but it seems that his on-stage persona took effort and his famous song ....well you'll have to read on to see what he feels about that!...
Stella was a bit of me! She loves Christmas and goes all out to decorate and celebrate, attending all of the traditional events in her home town.
She still believes in the magic of Christmas and I loved hearing about the tradition of her getting a letter each year.
This was such a heart-wrenching thread within the storyline and I loved it!
Obviously, Stella, the up and coming social media guru to the stars, steps in to rescue Rhys' reputation after he lost it with fans on stage at his last gig - and yep, you guessed it - they grow closer the more they get to know each other....and I was there for every second of it!
I loved the way their relationship developed in a respectful way - there was a lot of chemistry and tension builds up, but this is very much a clean read and I actually appreciated this for a change. It really suited the storyline and writing style.
I loved all the characters and it was great to see some of the other family members and friends throughout the book and I would love to go back and read the first two books before continuing to the next release.
This was such an easy, fun read and I couldn't put it down.
I totally devoured this over just a day.
A brilliant addition to any festive or winter tbr.
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